Judge reads Mail's demands

Apr 5 2006 By Ben Hurst, Birmingham Mail

THE judge who sentenced killer driver Jaswinder Singh has read the Birmingham Mail's demand to meet him.

But today it remained unclear whether he is willing to meet our reporters.

Yesterday the Mail handed in a letter from the Editor to Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins calling on him to explain the sentence which has appalled the city.

Staff at Birmingham Crown Court confirmed the judge had read the letter, but so far has not consented to be interviewed.

Singh, 45, of Ward End Road, Ward End, who had finished a 12-month ban for drink driving just six months before, had no insurance on his Ford Mondeo which was speeding at the time of the crash.

He left the scene, and went into hiding for eight days. Singh only gave himself up after Abigail's mum Susan asked the Mail to publish a picture of her dead daughter in a bid to shame the killer into handing himself in.

The sentence was condemned as an "utter disgrace" by the charity Support and Care after Road Death.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents described it as "completely inadequate" and road safety charity Brake said it was "incomprehensible". Abigail's mum Susan said: "The sentence is an insult to her. She is dead and the man who killed her has a small interruption in his life.

"This is no deterrent or punishment."

Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Sally Holmes said: "Eighteen months is no reflection for this loss of life and it doesn't act as a deterrent. The maximum sentence for this offence is 14 years.

"He didn't stop at the scene, he had no insurance and a previous ban for drink driving."

The Birmingham Mail will continue to press Judge Pearce-Higgins for an explanation.

* Should Judge Pearce-Higgins reveal the reasons for the sentence he handed out to Jaswinder Singh? Tell us what YOU think at www.icbirmingham.co.uk/mail/news/yoursay